Electric motor and reduction gearing unit

ABSTRACT

This unit comprises an electric motor having a flat case suspended through elastic means from a plate and rigid with an annular collar embedded in a corresponding annular bead of flexible material capable of absorbing vibration and fastened to said plate, a gear reduction mechanism driving the control mechanism and a flexible transmission between the motor and the reduction gearing, said transmission operating in conjunction with said bead for eliminating any rigid connection likely to propagate or amplify noise from said motor. This unit is intended more particularly for the remote control of a movable member of a vehicle, for example a window regulator.

United States Patent 1191 Bouthors et al.

[ June 26, 1973 1 ELECTRIC MOTOR AND REDUCTION GEARING UNIT Inventors: Pierre Bouthors; Andre Lefeuvre,

both of Billancourt, France 221 Filed: Nov. 1, 1971 211 App]. No.: 194,731

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 5, 1970 France, ..7039s02 [56] 4 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1951 Matchett ..'74/220X 9/1952 Kirwan ..24s/35s RX 3,022,064 2/1962 Russell 49/349 X 3,314,631 4/1967 Whitehill 248/358 R X 3,337,165 8/1967 Kondo 248/358 R X Primary Examiner-Leonard H. Gerin Attorney-Richard K. Stevens, Davidson C. Miller et a].

[57] ABSTRACT This unit comprises an electric motor having a flat case suspended through elastic means from a plate and rigid with an annular collar embedded in a corresponding annular bead of flexible material capable of absorbing vibration and fastened to said plate, a gear reduction mechanism driving the control mechanism and a flexible transmission between the motor and the reduction gearing, said transmission operating in conjunction with said bead for eliminating any rigid connection likely to propagate or amplify noise from said motor. This unit is intended more particularly for the remote control of a movable member of a vehicle, for example a window regulator.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PAIENIEDJUIIZB 192s SHEET 1 0F 2 FIGJ 1 ELECTRIC MOTOR AND REDUCTION GEARING UNIT This invention relates to a reduction gearing of the mechanical type driven from an electric motor and constituting a particularly compact and flat unitary structure of reduced overall dimensions, so that it can be used for special purposes, notably in the automotive industry.

This motor and reduction gearing unit may be housed for example in a door of motor vehicle so as to be incorporated in a window regulator adapted to be remote-controlled. It is also adapted to be mounted against the inner surface of the roof of a vehicle for controlling, also remotely, the opening and closing of a sliding roof panel. Similarly, a mechanism of this character may be used for controlling retractable or collapsible headlamps and other elements.

Electric control units closely associated with window regulator or other mechanisms are already known. These units are generally objectionable on account of their high cost and also because they constitute a far from negligible source of noise due to the vibration generated by the want of balance of the motors employed therein, such vibration being transmitted to and amplified byvthe body of the vehicle.

It is the essential object of the present invention to providean electric driven power and reduction unit adapted to avoid the above-mentioned inconveniences by utilizing a sturdy, economical, manually-controlled mechanism, associated with an electric motor and a minimum number of transmission members. The motor constituting an essential element in the final cost of the assembly is selected to be sturdy and of relatively low cost, and suitable means are provided for elminiating or at least minimize the noise generated by this motor.

This motor and reducing unit mounted on a common plate with a control mechanism is characterized essentially in that it comprises on the onehand a relatively flat electric motor suspended resiliently from said plate and having its case rigid, to this end, with an annular collar embedded in a corresponding annular bead of flexible material adapted to absorb vibration andattached to the plate, and on the other hand a reduction gearing driving the control mechanism, and a flexible transmission (connecting the motor to the reduction gearing) operates in conjunction with said head for eliminating between the motor and the vehicle body any rigid connection likely to propagate and amplify the noise produced by said motor.

Other features and advantages of this invention will appear as the following description proceeds with reference to the attached drawing illustrating diagrammatically by way of example a typical form of embodiment of a motor and reduction unit associated with a window regulator. In the drawing FIG. 1 is a perspective and partially exploded view showing the device. associated with the door window regulator of an automotive vehicle FIG. 2 is an elevational view showing on a larger scale the complete device FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the line III-III of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 is a modified view of the assembly shown in FIG. 3.

Referring to FIG. 1, the reference numeral 1 designates the door of a motor vehicle having a glass window 2 2, and a rubber strip or moulding '3 interposediduring the assembling between the glass 2 a fitting 4 provided with camplates or slidewayssjand6. The' window regulator 7 mounted on a p'latB secured'in thedoor panel comprises two lifting arms i end rigidly connected to meshing 'tdot'hedfwheels 11 and 12, as shown in FIG. 2, and the 'otli fend provided with rollers 13 engaging said camplates and 6,respectively. The toothed wheels 11 and rev" lve in opposite directions, against the force'fof" spiral balance springs (of which only one is shown partially at 11,), under the control of a toothed segment 1 4keyed to the shaft 15 of toothed wheel 12. Th e shafts 15 of said toothed wheels 11 and 12 are journalle'd in bearings 16 fitted at one end in said plate 8 and interconnected at the other end by a distance-piece 17. The toothed segment 14 is driven from an electric motor 18 via the following kinematic chain, shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 small pinion l9 keyed to the output shaft 20 of motor 18, cogged belt 21, large toothed wheel 22 keyed to a shaft 23 rigid with a coaxial pinion 24, toothed wheel 25 driving a coaxial pinion 26 via a friction-type torque limiter 27 becoming operative at the end of the glass travel or in case of accidental jamming of the device. In lieu of the torque limiter 27, or in combination therewith, a thermal cutout may be provided (not shown).

The case of motor 18 comprises a flat annular collar 28 embedded in an annular bead 29 of flexible material such as natural or synthetic elastomer, filling a corresponding annular cavity 30 secured to the plate 8 by means of screws 31. The cogged belt 21 and pinionsor pulleys l9 and 22 are preferred to plain ones to avoid possible slipping due to the elastic suspension of motor duction externally toothed annulus 32 constituting the planet-carried of an epicyclic train. This externally toothed planet carrier 32 is mounted for loose rotation on a sleeve 33 coaxial to a shaft 34 carrying a pinion 26 controlling the window regulator proper. Planet pinions 35 and 36 mounted on and rigid with a common hollow shaft revolve about a concentric shaft 37 rigid with the disk of planet carrier 32. Planet pinion 36 reacts with a fixed sun wheel 38 carried by the sleeve 33 secured to a bracket 8a rigid with the plate" 8. The shaft 34 is driven from a pinion 39 keyed to this shaft. A friction type torque limiter 27 is disposed on shaft 34, for example on the right-hand side of bracket 8a, as shown in FIG. 4.

The above-described arrangement operates as follows When energized the motor 18 drives the toothed segment 14 through one of the kinematic chains described hereinabove. The glass 2 being assumed to be in its lowermost position, the arms 9 and 10 are in the position shown in FIG. 2. Starting the motor 18 will therefore raise the arms 9, 10 towards the uppermost position shown in FIG. 1, thus raising the'glass 2, the rollers 13 being reciprocated in the slideways of camplates 5 and pended claims.

What is claimed as new is 1. Electric-driven, flat motor and reduction gearing unit for the remote control of a movable member of a vehicle, said unit being adapted to be mounted on a common plate supporting the control mechanism proper, characterized in that it comprises on the one hand an electric motor having a flat case suspended through elastic means from said plate and rigid to this end with an annular collar embedded in a corresponding annular bead consisting of a flexible material adapted to absorb vibration and attached to said plate, and on the other hand a reduction gearing adapted to drive said control mechanism, and a flexible transmission connecting thl motor to the reduction gearing and acting in conjunction with said flexible annular bead for eliminating between said motor and the vehicle body any rigid connection likely to propagate and amplify the noise produced by said motor.

2. Motor and reduction gearing unit according to claim 1, wherein said annular bead consists of natural or synthetic elastomeric material.

3, Motor and reduction gearing unit according to claim 1, wherein the flexible trasmission consists of -a cogged belt to avoid possible slip due to the elastic motor suspension.

4. Motor and reduction gearing unit according to claim 1, wherein the reduction gearing comprises a friction-type torque limiter enabled to become operative at the ends of the permissible stroke of the controlled mechanism and in case of accidental jamming of this mechanism.

5. Motor and reduction gearing unit according to claim 1, wherein said reduction unit is of the epicyclic train type comprislng planet pinions rigid and concentric to each other, carried by a receiving or driven pulley of the flexible transmission, and meshing with a pair of coaxial sun wheels, respectively, one of them being stationary.

6. Motor and reduction gearing unit according to claim 1, wherein the reduction gearing comprises a thermal cutout enabled to become operative at the ends of the permissible stroke of the controlled mechanism and in case of accidental jamming of this mechanism.

$ i t t 

1. Electric-driven, flat motor and reduction gearing unit for the remote control of a movable member of a vehicle, said unit being adapted to be mounted on a common plate supporting the control mechanism proper, characterized in that it comprises on the one hand an electric motor having a flat case suspended through elastic means from said plate and rigid to this end with an annular collar embedded in a corresponding annular bead consisting of a flexible material adapted to absorb vibration and attached to said plate, and on the other hand a reduction gearing adapted to drive said control mechanism, and a flexible transmission connecting th1 motor to the reduction gearing and acting in conjunction with said flexible annular bead for eliminating between said motor and the vehicle body any rigid connection likely to propagate and amplify the noise produced by said motor.
 2. Motor and reduction gearing unit according to claim 1, wherein said annular bead consists of natural or synthetic elastomeric material.
 3. Motor and reduction gearing unit according to claim 1, wherein the flexible trasmission consists of a cogged belt to avoid possible slip due to the elastic motor suspension.
 4. Motor and reduction gearing unit according to claim 1, wherein the reduction gearing comprises a friction-type torque limiter enabled to become operative at the ends of the permissible stroke of the controlled mechanism and in case of accidental jamming of this mechanism.
 5. Motor and reduction gearing unit according to claim 1, wherein said reduction unit is of the epicyclic train type compris1ng planet pinions rigid and concentric to each other, carried by a receiving or driven pulley of the flexible transmission, and meshing with a pair of coaxial sun wheels, respectively, one of them being stationary.
 6. Motor and reduction gearing unit according to claim 1, wherein the reduction gearing comprises a thermal cutout enabled to become operative at the ends of the permissible stroke of the controlled mechanism and in case of accidental jamming of this mechanism. 